The Labor enquirer., 1887-11-12

-z q u : NJ -.-' 81 Z. I. 1'<z'. |, q, &
sttlk = \ - ~ efhIs country,
r. ~ ~ dllo111 y pll1ic Affairs sn'
= ~ peepG esolon 4 Gensfsl discon
leovnAe - ~ - - he wealtl
poooou. 11xmoeo - G1Gering from
Z Iovosty ma ~ 1ouooa most Of then
- Aoe1gogo tbei4 oooo1oo, and prices O
p1odnDo axe - lov = - oGor no relic
e1oopt thro1gh bon1tubtey. Laborer
~ sinking into gfoa4ee and greater de
pmdenee. ekikos oro rssoEted to with
CT roaief, beoalse q ~ Inability of EN-
p9eyers n many eaeos - PAY living wages
vo1lo more and moro oRo driven into the
sleets. Business ~ Ind collections al
most impossible, nenntino hundreds OF
millions 0f idle pablio money which il
neodsd for relisf y Locked up in the
Untted etates treasury n grim nockery
OF the distress; land monopoly hourishes
- never known hefore, and more and
more owners Of The soil ere daily becom
Ing tenants. Great transportation corpo,
rsti0ns still succeed n extorting Their
pro6ts upon vatsred stock through unjust
charges. The United States senate has
become an opsn scandal, its seats being
purchased By the rish n open defiance Of
The popular win. 4 triAing fisheries dis.
pute 4 ssised upon - IN excuse for nee
essafy military prepazations which are
designed to breed spirit Of war, to ape
European dsspotism, and to empty the
treasury without paying the public debt
Under these and other alarming condi.
tions We appeal 70 the people of the
whole country 10 come out of the old
party organizations, where indifference
to the public welfare is responsible fol
this distress, and help us to organize Q
nsw political party, not sectional but ma
ti0nal, whose members shall be called
conmoners, whose object shall be to re-
peal all class laws In favor Of the rich, and
to relieve the distress Of our industries
by establishing the following principles:
I. Land-Every human being possesses
a natural, inalienable right TO sufficient
land for self support, and We desire to Sc
cure to ever industrious citizen home as
the highest result Of free institutions. To
this end We desire graduated land tax
on all land estates, especially those held
foT speculative or tenant purpose; the re-
claimation Of ell .unearned land grants;
the immediate opening Of Oklahoma to
homestead settlement; the purchase of
all unoccupied Indian lands, and the set
tlement Of the various tribes in severalty;
also laws preventing corporations from
acquiring real estate beyond the requir-
ments of their business, and alien owner
ship Of land. The system Of irrigation,
in states and territories where necessary,
shall be under such public control as shall
secure the free and equitable use of the
waters and franchises to the people.
2. Transportation-The means of COM
munication or transportation should be
controlled by tho people, % ID the United
States postal system, and equitable rates
everywhere established.
3. Money-The establishment of a ma
tional monetary system in the interest of
the producer instead Of the speculator
and usurer by which circulating medium
In necessary quantity and full legal ten
der, shall be issued directly to the peo-
pie, without the intervention of banks, or
loaned to citizens upon ample security at
low rate of interest TO relieve them from
the extortions of usury and enable them
to control the money supply. Postal saw
ings banks should be established. While
We have free coinage Of gold, we should
have free coinage Of silver. We demand
the prompt payment Of the national debt,
and condemn the further issue of interest
bearing bonds, either by. the national gov
eminent, or by states, territories, counties
or municipalities.
1. Decentralization should take the
place of strikes and other injurious meth
DDS of settling labor disputes; the letting of
convict labor to contractors be prohibited;
the contract system be abolished in pub
lie works; the hours of labor in industrial
establishments be reduced commensurate
with the increase Of production in labor
saving machinery; employees to be pro-
tected from bodily injury; equal pay be-
ing given for equal work for both sexes,
and labor, agricultural and cooperative
associations be favored and incorporated
by law. The foundation of republic is
the intelligence of its citizens, and chill
dren who are driven into workshops,
mines and factories are deprived of edu-
cation which should be secured by proper
legislation. We desire to see labor organ
izations extend throughout all civilized
countries, until it shall be impossible for
despots to array the workingmen of one
country in war against their brothers of
another country.
8. Soldiers and Sailors-In apprecia-
tion of the services of United States sol
diers and sailors We demand for them JUS
tice before charity. The purposely de-
preciated money paid them during the
war should be made equal in value to the
gold paid the bondholder. The soldier
was promised gold or its equivalent and
was paid in deprecated paper. The bond
holder loaned the government deprecated
paper and contracted TO take it back, but
was paid in gold.
6. Income Tara graduated income
is the most equitable system of taxation
placing the burden Of government or
those who can best afford 70 pay, insteat
Of laying it ON tho farmers and producers
and exempting millionaire bondholdert
and corporations.
z. United States Senate-Ths capture
of the United States senate by million
aires and and tools of corporations whC
have NO sympathy with free institutions
threatens the very existence of the repub
lie. We demand a constitutional amend
rneut making limited Statee senatOrs elect